


Not My Shepard

by Anonymous



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Character Study, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-10 20:58:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17433398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Ashley deals with the fallout of finding out Shepard is alive.





	Not My Shepard

**Author's Note:**

> Written for oliviawildesjawline over on tumblr. This is this community on tumblr.: http://masseffectholidaycheer.tumblr.com/

Ashley ignored the new rumors that popped up surrounding Shepard's death. They all claimed Shepard was alive. Some even went so far to say she was working for Cerberus. What a bunch of bullshit that was.

She remembered the attack like it was yesterday. Shepard had given Ashley an order to evacuate and since she prided herself on being a good soldier, she obeyed. There was no way Shepard was back from the dead. No matter how amazing it would be to have her back among them.

Ashley dismissed them only for the rumours to come slapping her in the face when she came face to face with Shepard a few weeks later. If the rumours surrounding her resurrection were true then so were the ones about her working for Cerberus.

“Is it true, Shepard? Are you really working for Cerberus?” Ashley asked, her voice cracking despite her attempts to keep her emotions at bay.

Shepard flinched and that alone was enough of an answer for Ashley. “Ashley, it's not what it seems. You know I wouldn't do this unless I had a good reason so please just trust me.”

“Shepard's right, Williams.” Garrus added.

Seeing Garrus there made even less sense than Shepard working for then given how they felt about aliens. Ashley wasn't moved by either of their words. It only drawed her ire.

“I used to know you, Shepard. I don't anymore.” Ashley turned her back towards them and readied to leave. She had nothing else to say to Shepard or Garrus. They made their decision like she did.

Ashley remembered how excited she was when first assigned to the Normandy. It was only two years ago, but it felt like a lifetime. That was the Shepard, Ashley wanted to remember. The one working for Cerberus was nothing more than an imposter.

She now wished the rumors of Shepard being alive were nothing more than talk. How could Shepard turn her back on the Alliance and work for Cerberus? Shepard wasn't ignorant about what Cerberus was capable of. Yet, Shepard continued to work for them. It boggled her mind that these two Shepard's were actually the same person.

“Trust me,” Shepard said. Ashley almost wanted to laugh at those words. It would be impossible for Ashley to ever trust Shepard again. She wanted too-- just like she used to back on the Normandy. Ashley felt like a fool for giving her that blind trust.

She wasn't going to let this stop her. As an officer in the Alliance, Ashley had a job to do and it didn't include wallowing over the truth about Shepard and Cerberus.

Ashley had never been so happy to return to the Citadel after the encounter with Shepard. She needed to lay down in a real bed and try to forget all of this for a few hours. When Ashley woke up, she could also use a drink or two. Anything really to help take away the pain Ashley felt over Shepard's betrayal.


End file.
